Examining Priorities
Which is more important to Residents?
After reading the Sun City Anthem's Association Attorney's letter to the Foundation Assisting Seniors, a sense of sadness came over me when I realized that this organization, a part of Sun City Anthem for years, has experienced the wrath of community leaders through the chill of a lawyer's pen.
My goodness, how many of us over the years have called "The Minutemen" (FAS) and borrowed medical equipment for ourselves, family, or a visiting guest?
My guess...so many that the count would be impossible since they've helped so many over the years.
Why did this horrible situation have to take place?
Because of minor rent dispute?
There has to be more to the story. A rent dispute to my knowledge had never existed over the 18 years of Sun City Anthem existence...
So...why now?
If that be the case, both sides should reexamine what likely amounted to a few dollars, but will cause such hardship to the residents of Sun City Anthem.
Was the association entitled to be compensated by an organization that, over the years, has spread it's wings into other communities?
Perhaps, but when it was learned that over 85% of the FAS activities have to do with bettering the lives of Sun City Anthem's 7,144 homes, maybe some form of compromise should have been achieved.
After all, the actual space used by the Foundation Assisting Seniors is limited, and not occupied most of the time.
So just how much was it costing residents to allow them to remain?
Better yet, and perhaps an even more important question, is what will become of the space?
Suggestions have been made, but none have involved any that would produce revenue.
And...that's the problem I am having with this entire matter.
If no revenue is to be generated by the use of the space, shouldn't all of this be a matter of priorities?
Just what better way could that space be used?
Additional space for employees?
A dressing room for occasional entertainment events?
More space for a TV station that few watch?
That space likely will not be used for commercial purposes.
For one reason, its location would never draw a private enterprise to open its doors. It's too hidden to allow any traffic flow.
So, with that in mind, given the above three possible alternatives, which do the residents believe would benefit them the most?
Why has this never been brought to their attention or asked of the them?
Over the years, thousands of dollars have been spent on five restaurants that have ALL resulted in loss after loss after loss.
Yet...without asking the residents, the Sun City Anthem Board has authorized the General Manager to spend thousands on a consultant to find out if another such venture is even feasible?
And...as we all know, one WILL VERY LIKELY be adopted that will require additional subsidization by residents to allow it to exist.
Expensive television equipment has been purchased with association funds without seeking approval of residents.
And so, I close this article by asking you for your opinion.
Given the choice of subsidizing another restaurant venture, expanding a TV station, or allowing the Foundation Assisting Seniors to exist on our premises, which option do you believe would be of greater benefit to the residents of a senior community?
And...let's not limit our choices to these alone.
What other ideas might you have?
Perhaps it is time to prioritize...allowing those who pay the costs of the association to make that decision, not a General Manager or Board.
Let us know how you feel.
Send your comments to:
The board has used the comment, time after time, that in our CC&Rs we are not allowed to transfer property to another entity (paraphrasing). Considering the good that FAS does for this community, they do have a document given to them by Del Webb long ago granting them use of the building where they were,
I believe, in exchange of the good they do for the residents here, we need to honor that agreement, not to GIVE them the space, but to allow them use of it as they always have.
It is my opinion that this has become something personal between Favil West and the GM and I think that is foolish because the people are the ones who loose, not Favil and not Sandy Seddon.
As for the lawyer, holy cow, give the man some happy juice or something.
Even though he is technically the "board's attorney" he is paid by the association; so isn't there somewhere in the "attorney thought process" an obligation or tiny thing about considering the welfare of the community too, or is that considered "common sense"?
From Robert Nusser...to...Anthem Opinions
Only time will tell what the REAL reason was....let's see how the space is eventually utilized.
Thank you for your thoughtful observations. I could not agree more.
The last vestige of scoundrels, it seems to me, is resorting to the legal technicalities that seek to justify their obvious disdain for the one organization that has actually done GOOD to the residents of this community.
One can pay tons of money to high-powered lawyers to get them to justify anything. The fact that we, the residents, PAID for these high-powered lawyers is repugnant as well.
You’re right… decent people with good hearts could have sought a reasonable way to resolve this issue without resorting to the disgraceful conduct we’ve now seen in the actions of the Board and the General Manager.
Then, of course, you have complacent owners in SCA who didn’t bother to vote in the recent recall election, or didn’t bother to find out why the vote was being called in the first place.
Complacency coupled with viciousness and anger… it seems to be what America is all about now, and little wonder that we see it alive and well right here in our own neighborhoods.
So now we have kicked out of our Center the single best organization we’ve ever had in SCA… one that has responded to tens of thousands of individual requests for help in times of our need… and our Board and GM have “won the day” by evicting FAS.
How nice.
Sure hope they find a good use for the space they’ve now taken over.
I’m sure it’ll be used for as good a purpose as has been the case for many years.
Wanna bet?
FAS has provided help to me more than once. I have had 4 major surgeries in the last 4 years and FAS has provided different health care items without cost to me. I have appreciated their help and would support their continued operation at SCA.
The restaurant is a no-brainer.
There are so many venues here where we can eat out. We don't need that restaurant at the Center. We could re-purpose that space for a small sandwich type shop and added meeting room space.
The third option is also a no-brainer.
We do not need more employees. We have enough employees and we can't grow into a bigger community.
What we need is to treat the employees we have well and with respect and to hire well qualified employees who respect members.
Bring back the FAS, Sun City Anthem Board and General Manager.
How dare you ignore the medical needs of the community?
To the people whose HOA fees pay or contribute to your salaries:
You may be healthy and in no need of the equipment that the FAS furnishes the residents at NO CHARGE.
Obviously you don't give a care in the world about the residents.
YOU NEED TO GO, NOT THE FOUNDATION.
Hi, any person with a Brain would know that having a non-profit in your building would first be a great Tax deduction.
And second over 2500 pieces of medical equipment per year given to our residents every year.
Should be a no brainer .
I find that what the GM and board has done is inexcusable.
It should be fixed now and we should all be grateful for such a great resource for us all. please fix this now .
From John Yocam...to...Anthem Opinions
I feel that we should not have kicked out FAS. Furthermore, If the management wants to kick them out, the residents should have been informed of the plan and the intended use of the space, and public comment on the issue should have been heard in one or more Board meetings.
Over the past year I have written multiple letters to the GM and the board to express that opinion. All I received was a note from the GM that she was sending my email to the members of the board. No comment from the board.
I still feel the decision should be reversed and FAS be allowed to stay unless we are presented with a useage plan that justifies removal of the FAS.
Maybe we need a petition on this issue. I think most residents would sign it. Would it do any good?
You saw how effective 836 signed petitions of No Confidence toward the General Manager did. Does that answer your question?
Note: It was requested all of them be placed in her personnel employment file. No response was ever heard regarding that request.
How did this Board react?
It appears she will AGAIN receive ANOTHER RAISE and rumor has it This Board is considering giving her an EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT that would solidify her position in SCA.
You can thank the 1,700+ individuals who voted to keep this bunch in power as well as the BUREAUCRATS who structured the removal election in a manner that all this would take place.
Those individuals who would defend all of this have proven they are not friends of Sun City Anthem.
In fact, in my opinion, they are despicable for allowing all of this to continue.
The legal angle of this issue is cold and uncaring.
My opinion is, who cares if they use our space for free TO HELP US AND OTHERS IN NEED?
if I were allowed a vote, I would have said yes to giving them the space for free forever
I find it sad that SCA spent so much money to remove a group that did so much good.
You are to be commended for it.
MY DAUGHTER HAD TO MOVE IN WITH US AS SHE HAD BACK SURGERY TO REMOVE PART OF A TUMOR ON HER SPINE.
IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE FOUNDATION IT WOULD COST US A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TO RENT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED TO KEEP HER COMFORTABLE.
I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE BOARD WAS THINKING WHEN THEY DECIDED WE DO NOT NEED THE FOUNDATION.
IF ANY OF THEM WOULD NEED THE FOUNDATIONS HELP AND IT IS NOT HERE, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO?
Such bull !
What are they going to take away next?
We used to have such a nice community. It’s enough that we have to deal with this horrible political arena we find ourselves a part of, and now, still, having to cope with all these swollen heads we have running this place?
I am so over this !!!!
If the Board is only to enhance the priorities of the Board, then what good is the Board for the association?
We were far better off with a management company.
Could it be that this board and the General Manager are out to line their own pockets?
Bad Boards brings in Bad people.
A friend of mine works with the FAS. They are attempting to get into the space at Anthem where their office supplies and equipment are housed, and are being denied access.
FAS has arranged for movers to come to move everything to their new location next week.
The SCA Board and GM refuse to allow them to move their own supplies and equipment, insisting SCA will move it.
Everything that belongs to FAS belongs to FAS, not SCA or the Board or the GM, and all of it was paid for by donations from people like me and other residents over all these years.
For the SCA Board and our GM to refuse FAS the right to access their own equipment, prepare for the move, and have their own movers carry out the move, is just one more bit of evidence of the childishness and viciousness of our General Manager and our Board.
They behave like infants.
I’m truly ashamed to be a resident of Sun City Anthem at this point.
Our Board and our GM are acting like angry children, not adults.
All FAS is trying to do now is MOVE OUT OF SCA.
And now the Board and GM won’t even let them do THAT without making it a major fight.
Who ARE these people?
Those people are the ones 1,200+ wanted to get rid of, but somehow 1,700+ others believed they were doing a good job.
I hope those 1,700+ will look themselves in the mirror the next time they see a person in need of medical equipment and say to themselves "I"M PROUD THAT I MADE THIS HAPPEN".
SCA’s Wasteful Loss of Foundation Assisting Seniors...Click on Link for full article.
I moved here to make my life happy and take advantage of all the amenities that Sun City Anthem had to offer, one of those being foundation assisting seniors. (FAS)
I have had too many surgeries and too much cancer to go into detail for the last six years.
I thank God every day to have the FAS here to help me not only during those very dark days, but also to change the batteries in the smoke alarms and the AC filters that are on the ceiling which I never could understand for a 55 And older community.
I find it shameful that SCA threw out FAS.
Their space should have been free anyway since they are assisting over 7000 homes in this community not to mention the amount of people.
These people are volunteers and helping people that just cannot help themselves.